Chromoly barrel vs Stainless steel

I just ordered a MGM (matchgrademachine) TC Encore barrel and they are either stainless steel or a blued Chromoly barrels... well you can get barrels that are made of steel but its not stainless just blued... so wats the differences between a chromoly barrel and a regular steel barrel?

and also i noticed when handling our TC frame that is blued coated we get alot of smuges and crap on it from our hands and such, we sprayed it with REM oil then wiped it down with a old cotton shirt i had... looked like it just wipes the frame clean but isnt there supose to be a protective oily surface on the gun parts you oil to protect from rust? wats the right way to oil and clean your gun parts and barrels to prevent rusting?

Chromoly steel is nothing more than the standard 4130 carbon steel that's been used in gun barrels for many years.

Recently, some manufactures of guns, particularly AR-15 rifles, are pushing the "chromoly" label to give the impression you're getting a chrome lined barrel.
This isn't false advertising, but it is at least slightly deceptive.
In short, there's no difference between a standard 4130 carbon steel barrel and a chromoly barrel, because they're the same thing.

There are many ways to protect a gun from rust. These range from applying a coat of a wax like Renaissance or Johnson's Paste wax, to simply applying a thin coat of a good rust preventing lubricant like CLP Breakfree.
Rem-Oil is a little thin, but it leaves a rust resistant coating on the metal too.
When applying lube as a rust prevention, don't wipe all of it off. Leave a thin layer.

Ohio Gun Guy

January 11, 2011, 09:46 PM

^ Thanks!

DBR

January 13, 2011, 12:51 AM

Best corrosion protection = Eezox.

Chrome moly is a general designation of a type of steel. Without knowing the actual composition of the steel it means little.

There is a milspec for CMV (chrome moly vanadium) steel that is used for AR type barrels. It may be over kill for semiauto barrels but generally indicates a quality barrel. Its main virtue is better strength at high temperatures like full auto applications.

Chrome barrel lining has nothing to do with the type of steel the barrel is made of.

Stainless steel is also available in several types that are suitable for gun barrels. Generally, SS barrels are not as long lived as chrome lined CMV barrels. They are usually used for match type guns with tighter tolerances and not chrome lined.

Big Az Al

January 13, 2011, 02:59 PM

As DBR said,

With out knowing what the grading and or heat treat is, there is so much variation in steels it is so much fluff.

conversely, SS in a grade that would do what it has been advertised to do in rifle barrels, takes tools and machining techniques that if that where to be used the cost of the barrel would cost somewhat more then 4 or 5 or more times what rifles sell for now.

But don't take my word for it ask a machinist

Or as several people have pointed out over the years, if it uses the same tooling and machines pretty much the same, WHY do you think it will act otherwise?